Electricity
usage has dropped by between 7,500MW and 9,000MW since the lockdown came into
effect last week. This has allowed Eskom to operate without the need to
implement loadshedding.

As such, the
utility is making use of the opportunity of the low demand to carry out
important short-term maintenance of its generation infrastructure.

“We have
increased planned maintenance to 9,032MW, while unplanned outages or breakdowns
have been reduced to 8,572MW as at 16:10 on Wednesday [1 April],” announced
Eskom in a statement.

These figures compare to the planned maintenance of 4,256MW and unplanned outages or breakdowns of 12,175MW on 25 March 2020, the last day before the national lockdown.

Koeberg Unit 2 part of planned maintenance

In order to
protect the integrity of the system, Eskom has taken some generation units
offline.

“From midnight
on Friday, 3 April 2020, we will add Koeberg Unit 2 to these units, which are
all available to return to service at short notice should the need arise.
Koeberg Unit 2 is scheduled to return to service by 30 April 2020, if not
called before then,” said Eskom.

Furthermore, the
utility explained that as part of protecting the integrity of the power system,
Eskom has also issued force majeure notices to the wind independent
power producers.

“These notices serve to alert the wind IPPs of the possibility that Eskom may from time to time curtail their supply to the grid during the national lockdown. Should this remote possibility happen, the IPPs will be afforded one day of relief for every day, or part thereof, of lost production. This will ensure none of the wind IPPs are worse off than before the force majeure.”

“Last week the Eskom Single Buyer Office sent a letter to all operating Independent Power Producers to confirm that the categorisation of essential services only applies to facilities currently in operation,” says @futhigirl, CEO of @_sawea#LockdownSAhttps://t.co/23fNfEFLfC

Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl has been working in the African power, energy and water sectors since 2011, first with African Utility Week and now as the Editor of ESI Africa. She is also an Advisory Board member of the Global and African Power & Energy Elites publications. With her passion for sustainable business and placing African countries on the international stage, Nicolette takes a keen interest in current affairs and technology trends.